Self-propulsion of a spherical electric or magnetic microbot in a polar viscous fluid

B. U. Felderhof
Phys. Rev. E 91, 023014 – Published 18 February 2015

Abstract

The self-propulsion of a sphere immersed in a polar liquid or ferrofluid is studied on the basis of ferrohydrodynamics. In the electrical case an oscillating charge density located inside the sphere generates an electrical field that polarizes the fluid. The lag of polarization with respect to the electrical field due to relaxation generates a time-independent electrical torque density acting on the fluid, causing it to move. The resulting propulsion velocity of the sphere is calculated in perturbation theory to second order in powers of the charge density.

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  • Received 6 August 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.91.023014

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

B. U. Felderhof*

  • Institut für Theorie der Statistischen Physik, RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany

  • *ufelder@physik.rwth-aachen.de

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Issue

Vol. 91, Iss. 2 — February 2015

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